t priests
a novena of rosaries, penitences, and other devotions. Similar and
even advantageous action was taken in the other convents, churches,
and communities of the city and surrounding villages.

The Lord, whose providence is always most notable in the greatest
exigencies, was pleased to hear the united voice of this community,
and induced our enemy, after they had lain at anchor for a fortnight
in the bay in sight of Manila, to hoist their sails; and without doing
more than seize one champan and send two letters by a prisoner--one
to the commander of their nation [i.e., van Caerden] who was a
prisoner here, and the other to the royal Audiencia, asking for his
ransom. But that could have no effect, for the miserable man had
died a short time before in his perfidy, exchanging his temporal
for the eternal prison. [After sending these letters] the enemy
returned to Terrenate, ridding this city of its great anxiety. On
that occasion the religious served not only with spiritual weapons,
but also with what temporal arms they could use and those that they
knew how to manage. Among others was one of our brethren, whom the
royal Audiencia charged with the management of the artillery of the
port of Cabite, because of his skill in the art and of his bravery,
which the occasion required. Another religious, also ours, by his
good management prevented the soldiers of Cabite from burning that
settlement, for they had already commenced at one of the houses,
where were collected the goods of the Portuguese commander, who had
come from Espana the year before as commander of certain caravels with
reenforcements from the kingdoms of Espana. They considered it less
wrong for us to burn them ourselves than to let the enemy make use
of them. But that religious with his arguments and good management
hindered it, and inspired them all to extinguish the fire. That was
a cause of rejoicing afterward, when they saw the enemy go away and
leave us, without forcing us to so costly a precaution.

While the above was passing in Manila, our fleet reached Malaca,
and entered the strait February twenty-five. The enemy had left
it one week previous, fleeing with all sails set, because of the
secret advice that they had received that our fleet was going in
search of them. The day following the arrival of our galleons,
the two Chinese trading-ships entered the same strait, bearing all
the wealth of India It was a most fortunate event and was worthily